adriansmith247

Hi everyone 

thanks for all your input. I think I’ll look out for a more powerful amp and sell what I have. There are a few options on sale now that I am looking at. 
 

1 hour ago, jrixn1 said:

250W seems underpowered for a 2x12".  Nothing wrong technically as such, but it seems inefficient to be lugging around a large cab that you can't then make the most of.  As for mixing cabs, it is indeterminate whether the MB115 will sound good in combination with your choice of 2x12".

 

Instead of ending up with three pieces of gear, potentially none of which will go that well together, how about selling the MB115 and LM250 and picking up a more-powerful head which is better matched to the 2x12"?

 

Or - buy a second MB115 (or 115MBP if you can find one - the discontinued powered extension).  Having two combos also provides the backup you mentioned.

Some sensible advice, thanks.

I spent years gigging with a 100-watt head and Marshall 15 cab, and then an 80-watt Peavey combo, that I still think 250 Watts is a lot. 

It does depend on the cab though as Bill points out. 

Hi 

I am looking around for a 2x12 cab at 4 Ohm to run with my MarkBass Blackline 250 Watt amp.  

Any opinions and ideas are welcome. I am a cheapskate so not looking for high-end options. 

I have been using a GK MB115 combo (200w 4 oHm) for electric bass (functions / weddings), and find it copes pretty well up to a point, but there is not a lot of headroom. 

I am looking at using both the GK combo and the 2x12 cab/Markbass head, especially as this means I have a backup if one fails. 

Do you think I can gig without PA support using just the 2x12/ amp/cab setup?

Would an 8 Ohm 2x12 be any good? (It would only get around 150w)

I don't gig too much with electric bass, so I don't have much opportunity to try things out. Also, for the same reason I don't want to spend much. 

A really interesting thread. I seem to have come to some conclusions

• Maybe basses have come down in cost when you consider the quality basses out there for between £300 - £500
• I don't need another bass
• I still want an Ibanez Musician though, for sentimental value, but am not willing to pay the current price

Gig fees haven't increased to match the rise in costs to musicians. In fact they have gone down in real terms as they have not even kept up with inflation

5 hours ago, Bassfinger said:

What's the point of an expensive bass if you don't take it to gigs? An utter waste to play it solely at home.

 

Not only that, what do people think happens to basses at gigs? I've never suffered so much as a nick on any of mine.

some jazz gigs can get pretty wild though 😀

Who would take a £2000+ bass out on a gig? 

I certainly wouldn't but it is all relative as someone has already pointed out. I regularly take a £2000 value double bass out to gigs. It's the only one I have so I don't have much choice there. With DB you have to spend more usually to get a playable instrument. Fitting a new bridge, a pickup and a new set of strings can run into over £800

2 minutes ago, MacDaddy said:

 

Where's the line between "a decent bass for the price" and "a decent bass"?

It is not what you play. It is what you play

I have a great sounding and great playing bitsa bass that would not fetch much more than £150. 

I agree that you get a decent bass for less than £500. I have a few

I know there are gigable basses out there for not a lot of money but for me there is something special about an older well made bass

I guess I am just annoyed that I can't justify buying an Ibanez Musician for the current prices. I should have never let my one go.

I may get lucky I suppose, fingers crossed. 

12 minutes ago, jonnybass said:

There are loads of playable basses now at very low price points, as well if you go second hand and not fashionable you can still get a bargain.  If you want a US made name brand bass, its not going to be cheap...ever.

 

On the Wal story I went round three music shops with about £300-£500 to spend on a bass in the early 90's...in that afternoon I played a 76 Precision, a white Ricky 4001, a Wal Mk1 all for £500-£600 Mostly becausse none were fashionable then and a musicman stingray 5(Which was slightly higher than my budget)...The fender was a dog and weighed more than a small planet, the Wal had the hard V neck that I really hate/hated and I couldnt get a good sound or comfy playing position on the Ricky...I borrowed a £100 from my parents and got the Musicman...occasionally regret it to this day purely for the resale value, have to remind myself the reason I was buying a bass was my bass at the time had an unfixable neck and so I had no usable bass for the 3 bands I was gigging with.  Sold the Stingray for a profit a few years later, but no where near as much as I would have got for any of the others.

 

Jonny

Yes, I remember seeing an old 70s jazz for about £300. I bought a Ricky 4001 for £200 then sold it a couple of years later for £400. I thought I had done really well. 

Gutted now obviously 

13 minutes ago, chris_b said:

Good basses were never cheap. I bought my Fender Precision in 1969 on a deal for £95, but the retail price in the UK was £120. That's about £2400 at today's value.

 

In 1969 a cheap bass was generally unplayable crap. Since the advent of CNC machines, and Asian labour, good basses can be had for a few hundred pounds.

 

Agreed. I took out a loan to get a second-hand Ibanez Musician for £325 back in the 90s. Even in the last 10 years the value has gone up from around 600/700 to over £1000

15 minutes ago, asingardenof said:

Shut up, it was no more than 23 years ago surely

Certainly seems like about 20 ish

I remember looking at a second hand Wal bass for £1,500 thinking that was an insane price (late 90s) 

now you don’t get much change out of £15,000

3 minutes ago, asingardenof said:

"Decent" is very subjective though. You could buy what I consider to be a "decent" bass for a hell of a lot less than £1200.

agreed but have a look in the for sale section here and many are over a grand. My decent 80s jazz cost £175 now worth a lot more 

prices pushed up by collectors 

Anyone else noticed the price of basses is going up and up? It seems you need around £1,200 for a decent bass. I saw a P Bass for £12,500 here recently

I know there are amazing basses out there for less, and I have a few myself. I am just commenting as I would never spend close to two grand on a bass then take it out on gigs. Just my view. 

I was chatting with a friend about this and the price of good guitars. We came to the conclusion that all the people that were in their teens during the 70s 80s 90, playing in bands now have good jobs and access to a deceny amount of cash. Same thing is happening with road bikes. Some spend thousands on a bike. Vintage guitars and basses are recommended to people looking to make money as an excellent investment. Some guitars then never get played. 

1 hour ago, Rodders said:

I have a Rock n Roller R2RT, I've been using it for a few years, very sturdy, handles a lot of weight for its size and folds down quite small. 

They gone up in price recently but as others have said buy cheap, buy twice, get what you pay for etc. 

https://rocknrollercarts.co.uk/products/rocknroller®-multi-cart®-r2rt-micro

That does look really sturdy, thanks

1 hour ago, SamIAm said:

I've always had issues with ones that have folding wheels, they start to fold when I'm moving stuff!

So I bought one of these a few weeks ago to shift my PJB C4 + stuff, it is sturdy, not too expensive and the 'platform' folds away.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08XW173YY

 

Sam x

that is pretty similar to the one in Lidl. Looks solid enough. Cheers

Anyone got a suggestion for good cheap folding trolley? 

I had one from Amazon but the wheels collapsed and would not stay put (halfway across a road, which was fun!) 

I am looking at the one they have in Lidl and it looks good but the wheels don't fold. Maybe I should just get that one?

cheers

Adrian

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On 12/11/2023 at 16:11, Thump said:

My noise gate , works incredibly well and was only £25

Does it work on drummers? 

2 hours ago, Steve Browning said:

Mains tester plug.

So much dodgy mains around I gave up taking one out. then again I play double bass so way less likely to get fried (I hope)

Anyone got a recommendation for a sturdy rucksack to fit amp head and cables, stands etc? 

2 hours ago, bassbiscuits said:

Roll of gaffer tape and a set of earplugs. 

I need a good set of earplugs. Any particular ones recommended? 

1 hour ago, Geek99 said:

All I want for Christmas…..  iiiiisssssss….. 🎶an AirTag for my car keys 

Thats a great idea. And one for every other small item I own!